Damian Birkel Presents THE JOB SEARCH CHECKLIST

A survivor of four layoffs before he became a nationally certified career counselor and nationally sought out reemployment expert, Damian Birkel is committed to making finding a job easier-and a whole lot less stressful. In THE JOB SEARCH CHECKLIST: Everything You Need to Know to Get Back to Work After a Layoff (AMACOM; October 2013; $16.00 Paperback), Birkel arms the downsized and ousted with a winning battle plan, developed and tested in the trenches of unemployment. Built around the author's proven 7-Step Job Search Plan, the book delivers key strategies for navigating the rough road to reemployment, reinforced with itemized checklists of the specific actions needed to master critical issues, both practical and emotional. Writing to every reader reeling from confidence- and life-shattering blows to professional identity and earning power, Birkel assures: "It will guide you through the step-by-step process of finding a job, while providing hope and validation."

Opening with a "prequels" section, Birkel offers tips to help readers heed the warning signs of a looming layoff and prepare in advance-by securing copies of approved performance reviews, useful reports, contact lists, and more-even if they're spared. From there, THE JOB SEARCH CHECKLIST concentrates on recovering from a layoff and rebounding to successfully land a new job. Organized around seven steps, chapters walk readers through:

1. The emotional impact of job loss, with insights into the perfectly normal emotional upheaval after a layoff. Beyond reassurance, readers will find practical tips for coping with feelings of powerlessness and scarcity, managing family tensions, and maintaining a sense of normalcy through this trying but temporary period.

1. Life after unemployment, from negotiating a severance package to getting "job search" ready. Through practices such as setting up a work space, establishing a daily routine, and listening to motivational specialists, readers will gradually rebuild their professional identity-and self-confidence-for the demanding work of looking for work.

1. Developing a career plan-"a long and self-examining process," as Birkel makes clear. Readers will begin with a series of exercises to help them pinpoint what they liked the most and least about their last job, determine their transferable skills, and expand their thinking outside of their comfortable career box and into considering different fields.

1. Crafting an effective résumé, starting with understanding the two major résumé formats (chronological and functional) and deciding which type is best for them. From the basics, readers will learn about job-associated keywords, the hidden language of the Internet, and the role of the Applicant Tracking System in determining whether their résumé gets read.

1. The power of networking, beginning with a proven, practical crash course in how to excel at in-person networking, from protocols to correspondences, then moving on to how to maximize social networking channels to stand out from the crowd of job seekers and find the hidden job market.

1. Effective interviewing, covering major types and styles of interviews, along with common interviewing concerns. Readers will find welcome advice, plus concrete examples, on how to answer a dozen red-flag questions frequently asked by interviewers-How would you describe you? and Why did you leave your last job?, among them.

1. How to hit the ground running, highlighting pivotal challenges and opportunities readers are likely to face over the first few weeks in their hard-won new position, along with suggestions for successfully managing their first six months on the job.

Along with checklists at the start and end of every chapter, Birkel provides sample résumés, cover letters, and more correspondence, plus access to downloadable, customizable templates and forms. Proven, practical, and written with genuine compassion for the all the qualified, talented, and diligent unemployed people, THE JOB SEARCH CHECKLIST is a valuable guide to professional and personal success.

About the Author

DAMIAN BIRKEL is a certified career counselor and the founder of Professionals in Transition Support Group Inc., an internationally recognized nonprofit, career support organization. More than 5,000 out-of-work professionals have used his job search system to secure new employment. His expertise has been featured on Fox News, CNN, NPR, and in USA Today, Fortune, Time, and The Wall Street Journal. He lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Title: THE JOB SEARCH CHECKLIST

Everything You Need to Know to Get Back to Work After a Layoff

Author: Damian Birkel

Pub. Date: October 2013

Price: $16.00 Paperback

Pages: 272

ISBN: 978-0-8144-3291-4

Visit AMACOM online at http://www.amacombooks.org